


Of Chocoholics, Fruit Fan, and Cookie Lovers

by BeautifulDelusions



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Cutesy, Dean is in his twenties, Dean works at Dairy Queen, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Ice Cream, Light Angst, M/M, Romance, Socially Awkward Castiel, though not entirely
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-02
Updated: 2014-09-02
Packaged: 2018-02-15 22:19:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2245392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeautifulDelusions/pseuds/BeautifulDelusions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"How did you...?" Castiel breathed as he cupped his hands around the ice cream.</p><p>Dean's answering grin was bright as he leaned over the counter, different shades of green bursting in his eyes.  "Magic," he fake-whispered, his voice warm, and Castiel felt his stomach drop.  Dean winked at him once more before stating, "Enjoy your Chocolate Xtreme Blizzard, Cas."</p><p>----</p><p>In which Dean works part-time at Dairy Queen and flirts with Castiel, who doesn't realize the older male is showing off for him until his brother Gabriel spells it out for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Chocoholics, Fruit Fan, and Cookie Lovers

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for all the awesome people who chose to follow me on tumblr! I promised I'd write something when I reached 50 followers, and though I've passed that number by now, it's written! <3
> 
> (I'm sorry that it took a couple weeks longer than I thought it would.)

The place didn't look all that spectacular.  It looked like every other fast food joint he'd ever been inside, complete with all the people packed into it.  Granted, not all of them had a line backed up to the doorway, from what Castiel observed, so perhaps it was a little different, even though it had the weird tiled flooring and the gaudy-looking contemporary-style seating and layout.

The mixed pitches of laughter had Castiel frowning slightly as he turned to his siblings and the two girls who lived in their neighborhood.  Charlie Bradbury lived directly next door to them, and she was an intelligent, red-haired, out-and-proud homosexual who was into _Harry Potter_ and LARPing and nearly everything sci-fi and fantasy.  Jo Harvelle lived a few houses down and across the road, though she was apparently rarely actually there, but she and Charlie seemed to be really close (which was probably the only reason the curly-haired blonde was there).  And then there were his siblings:  the redheaded Anna, the brown-haired Gabriel, and the sandy-haired Balthazar.  (There were also the twins Michael and Lucifer, but they weren't with them.)

All three were older than Castiel was, and he got along with them all decently enough, even if they did purposely grate on his nerves at times.  Like they were doing right now with their amusement they weren't sharing with him.

Charlie was the one to enlighten him.  "Castiel, your expression just now was much like the sneer always on Lucius Malfoy's face."

Castiel didn't grace that with a response and instead crossed his arms.  That only set his group off into another bout of laughter, which he promptly ignored, choosing to focus on the menu above the counter.  There were a lot of different treats, and he honestly wasn't sure what would be good or not.  He vaguely heard the other five discussing what they were going to get, but neither Charlie nor Jo knew all the different treats and what was in them, though they suggested getting Blizzards, just to say they'd had one.

When they'd gotten to the front of the line, Castiel still didn't know what he wanted to order, so he stepped back to let the others order first.  He was startled when someone suddenly called out, "Hey, Blue Eyes!"  His gaze absently shifted to a male leaning over the counter, and he was surprised when the other guy's lips curved into a grin.  "Yeah, you.  Come here."  Castiel was shocked enough to take a few steps forward without even thinking about it.  "What's your name, angel?"

Was this guy _flirting_ with him?  The notion stunned him.

"Castiel Novak," he answered without hesitation, his thoughts scattering as glittering green eyes stared back at him.  The young man behind the counter was _breathtaking_ , with his long, pretty lashes and his freckles painting his fair skin.  His hair was a light brown, styled to somewhat spike up at the front, but it still looked undeniably soft to the touch.  And then there were the guy's _lips_ ; Castiel was half-tempted to wax poetic about them and he _hated_ poetry.

Said lips parted, and Castiel was jarred back to the present.  "Well, Cas, you look like you're having some difficulties choosing what you want.  Maybe I can help out," the brunette offered, his white teeth flashing in a smile.

It was on the tip of his tongue to say he wasn't having any difficulties because he wanted the gorgeous boy in front of him, but he wasn't that bold, and instead he nodded.  "Some help would be appreciated.  Your menu is quite vast, and most of the names are confusing, especially since I have never been to a Dairy Queen before."

"Oh?  Just never felt like eating here, or are you not from around here?" the other male queried—and Castiel finally dared a glance down at the nametag to see "Dean" shining back at him.

"Kind of a mixture of both, I suppose.  My father moves around quite a bit for his job, so the past few years we have been out of the country.  Any Dairy Queens were far and few between," Castiel explained.

Dean chuckled before making a soft humming noise.  "Well, I would suggest getting a Blizzard since that's what we specialize in, but we also make some pretty damn good banana splits."

Castiel smiled before answering, "I was told to get a Blizzard by a friend, so that would be preferred."

"All right.  Which of the four categories strikes your fancy?" Dean inquired, and for a moment Castiel forgot he was supposed to be looking at the different types because he was too busy trying to name the green of Dean's eyes.

He cleared his throat, his gaze shifting up to the board as heat crept up his neck.  "Um, 'Chocoholics,' I guess?"  He glanced at Dean, as if asking if he'd chosen correctly, even though there was no wrong answer.

Dean's grin was an obvious indicator that he approved of Castiel's choice.  "That's probably my favorite selection.  So, Chocolate Xtreme is vanilla soft serve ice cream, though you wouldn't be able to tell it with the amount of cocoa fudge we put into it, so it's basically chocolate ice cream, and it also has brownie pieces and thin chunks of chocolate.  Midnight Truffle is what it sounds like—truffle pieces in the same blend of cocoa fudge and vanilla ice cream.  Turtle Pecan Cluster is vanilla soft serve with chocolate, caramel, and pecans.  Georgia Mud Fudge is the same as the Chocolate Xtreme, except it has pecans instead of chocolate chunks.  And then French Silk Pie is vanilla soft serve with pieces of pie crust, chocolaty topping, and chocolate chunks, and is topped with whipped cream."

Castiel's mind was reeling just a bit after hearing the names and descriptions, and he knew he wouldn't be able to make a decision quickly and easily.  "What would you recommend?" he ventured to ask, and Dean made a show of thinking about it, his tongue even poking out between the right corner of his lips.  Castiel had to force himself not to stare, and it was one of the hardest things he'd ever done.

"My favorite is the French Silk Pie, followed by Chocolate Xtreme," Dean answered. 

Castiel swallowed and nodded.  "I'll take a small Chocolate Xtreme Blizzard then, please."  He was caught off guard by the sudden smirk and wink the other male threw his way.

"My pleasure, Cas.  And this one's on me," Dean announced as he pushed off the countertop and retreated into the back area.

He really should correct Dean's use of "Cas" instead of his entire name, but he found he actually _liked_ it.  It sounded pleasant, unlike his siblings' use of "Cassie."  _That_ was just plain irritating, and they knew he hated it.  Thinking of his siblings reminded him he was there with them, but there was no way he was going to chance a glance around, just to find them leering at him or something equally as embarrassing.

Dean's return distracted him from his thoughts, and he smiled as he reached out to take the napkin-donned cup from the brunette—who held the cup up higher out of his reach.  "Slow down there.  I wanna show you something."  Castiel frowned, his brows furrowing slightly, but they didn't stay furrowed for long because Dean flipped the cup over so the top was facing down, and he almost freaked out because surely the _soft serve ice cream_ was going to fall onto the counter—but nothing happened, and the ice cream _stayed_.  Castiel sucked in a sharp breath of awe and surprise, and that was when Dean flipped the cup back over and lowered it down so Castiel could take it.

"How did you...?" Castiel breathed as he cupped his hands around the ice cream.

Dean's answering grin was bright as he leaned over the counter, different shades of green bursting in his eyes.  "Magic," he fake-whispered, his voice warm, and Castiel felt his stomach drop.  Dean winked at him once more before stating, "Enjoy your Chocolate Xtreme Blizzard, Cas."

Castiel swallowed thickly and forced himself to nod.  "Thank you."  He practically tripped over his own feet trying to turn around and get away before he managed to make a fool of himself.  As he expected, he was greeted by the teasing laughter of his siblings and two new friends, but he ignored them as he took a bite of his ice cream.  It was absolutely _delicious_ , and he made a mental note to come back again soon.  There were a few other Blizzard flavors he was interested in, after all.

  


* * *

  


"Hey, Castiel!"

The shout came from across the front lawn of the school, and the dark-haired teen stopped short, glancing over his shoulder to see a tall brunette boy bounding towards him with a familiar blonde and redhead in tow. 

"Hello, Sam.  Charlie.  Jo."  He punctuated each name with a nod of his head in the direction of each person.

Charlie grinned and waved her fingers.  "Heya, Castiel."

Jo shook her head slightly, hooking her thumbs into the belt loop on either side of her jeans.  "We're going to Dairy Queen 'cause Sam's brother is working and will give us free ice cream.  You wanna go?"  She was grinning like she knew something, and it made Castiel a little wary.

But not wary enough to pass up a chance to perhaps see Dean again.  "I have nothing of import to do right now."  When the three teens simply stood there, each with amused expressions, he added, "Yes, I would like to go with you."

"Great!" Sam exclaimed, clapping a hand down onto Cas's shoulder.  "C'mon, I'll drive, and I'll bring you back to your car after."

Castiel allowed himself to be steered in the direction of Sam's car.  "Actually, I walk home, but I can get one of my siblings to come get me at Dairy Queen."

The three teens seemed surprised by that—especially Jo and Charlie since they thought it was too far to walk—but they didn't condemn him for it, and the subject easily shifted to different matters as they all piled into Sam's Dodge Charger.  Castiel only piped up when asked something directly, or when he felt like contributing, but the atmosphere was friendly enough that it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable, and he found himself actually enjoying watching the banter.

It wasn't long before they pulled into the Dairy Queen parking lot, which wasn't as crowded as the first time Castiel had gone but was still pretty packed for the time of day.  His stomach was twisting in nervous anticipation as he slid out of the car. 

Would Dean be happy to see him? 

Would Dean actually _remember_ him? 

Would Dean even be working?

He shuffled along behind the three teens, sparing a slight smile and a nod at Sam (who held the door open for them all).  As he had done the first night, he hung back and allowed Sam to slip in front of him, the taller boy walking up to the counter confidently before calling out in the direction of the back area, "Hey, jerk, I'm here!"

Castiel pressed his lips together in order to fight the urge to smile, and his eyes quickly skimmed the faces behind the counter.  He felt disappointment well inside him, pushing out against his ribs uncomfortably, and he swallowed back the quiet noise of discontent that scratched the back of his throat.  He looked away from everyone and forced his eyes to rove across the menu, though he didn't retain any of the words.  It had been a few weeks since he'd been to the place, and it _was_ in the afternoon and not at night like the last time.

This was what his social awkwardness got him; if he'd been bolder, he wouldn't have to rely on a chance meeting at a fast food restaurant.

"So you finally came back, angel?"

That voice broke through his self-deprecating thoughts, and his head jerked in the direction of it.  His blue eyes met shining green, and a flash of cute teeth—how could _teeth_ be cute?—appeared between parted lips.  "Hey, Cas," Dean greeted, giving him a short one-handed wave.

"Hello, Dean," Castiel managed to respond without tripping over the words. 

Dean's grin only grew wider, and Castiel felt the ridiculous urge to smile shyly back.  "So you actually looked at my nametag, huh?" Dean queried, sounding quite pleased by the thought.

Castiel ignored the blush he felt starting at the tips of his ears.  "Yes."

"Well, Cas, you got an idea for what you want today?" Dean questioned, leaning forward over the counter like he had the last time.

Castiel swallowed before answering, "I think I would enjoy something from Fruit Fan."

"All right.  Well, most of them are pretty self-explanatory, and they have a base of vanilla soft serve ice cream.  Banana Cream Pie has pieces of banana and pie crust, as well as banana cream pie filling, and it's topped with whipped cream.  Strawberry Cheesecake has strawberries and cheesecake pieces.  Hawaiian has banana chunks, pineapple pieces, and coconut.  Banana Split has strawberries, pineapple, and banana chunks, as well as chocolaty topping.  And then there's Choco Cherry Love, which has sweet cherries and rich chocolate pieces.  I would suggest either Strawberry Cheesecake or Choco Cherry Love because the banana can be a bit overwhelming."  Dean's lips twitched onto a crooked smile.  "So what'll it be, Cas?"

The dark-haired teen licked his lips.  "Strawberry Cheesecake?" he replied, almost hesitantly.  It was silly to want approval just for his tastes in ice cream, but he couldn't help himself.  He wanted Dean's eyes to glow at him, even if Dean was just doing his job.

"Great choice."  The brunette male winked, straightening up in a smooth movement before retreating into the back area.

Castiel felt a nudge to his side, and he glanced over to see Jo, Charlie, and Sam all grinning at him knowingly.  He fought back the blush that wanted to warm his face, and he muttered, "What?"

"Dean is totally flirting with you," Charlie replied like it was a no-brainer.

He felt heat flare up the back of his neck and flood into his face before he could even attempt to stop it.  No matter how much he _wanted_ that to be true, it just wasn't possible.  People didn't flirt with him.  "He isn't flirting with me; he's just doing his job.  I don't know any of the flavors, so he's helping me out."

Sam scoffed, nodding his head.  "Yeah, okay.  But people say more than just the words that come from their mouths, Castiel."

This caused Castiel's brows to furrow slightly, but Dean returned before he could ask Sam to elaborate.

"Here you go, angel:  a Strawberry Cheesecake Blizzard," Dean announced as he turned the cup over to do his "magic trick" from the first time.  He then set it down on the countertop, sliding it across.  "Don't be a stranger.  You can come here without my little brother and his friends."

And with those parting words, Dean left Castiel dumbfounded for a couple of reasons—but what astounded him most was how he'd somehow missed the fact that Sam was Dean's younger brother.

  


* * *

  


The next time Castiel went to Dairy Queen, Dean wasn't working, so someone else helped him decide which "Cookie Lovers" option he wanted.  He chose the Mint Oreo one.  It wasn't as good as the others.

He ran into Dean a few times before he saw him again at Dairy Queen; each time was during a study session at Sam and Dean's apartment.  The encounters always threw Castiel off balance because Dean basically treated Castiel like his little brother's friend (which, yes, Castiel was, but that wasn't the point), minus the rare times when Dean would catch his eye across the table or something and wink at him with a cute, toothy grin.  It was infuriating and entirely too confusing for Castiel.

And the encounters simply enforced his steadily-growing feelings for the older boy.  Dean Winchester was the kindest, sweetest, most hard-working person Castiel had ever met.  He'd practically raised his younger brother, and he was currently working three jobs—one full-time and two part-time—in order to pay for their rent _and_ save money to help pay for his little brother's way through college.  And he never once complained about it, even though he probably had more of a right to do it than most people.  He'd had to grow up way too quickly, had it forced on him, but he still went through his days with his head held high and a quick smile on his lips.  It was extremely admirable.

Castiel also learned other things about Dean, though.  He'd basically rebuilt his car—a beautiful, black '67 Chevy Impala—on his own, and he called her "Baby."  He really liked pie, particularly cherry and apple, and bacon cheeseburgers.  He was terrified of flying in planes.  He was a fan of classic rock songs, and he couldn't choose between Led Zeppelin's "Ramble On" and "Traveling Riverside Blues" as his favorite.  He was also allergic to cats, was a bit of a neat freak, and had an odd ~~ly cute~~ obsession with the Wild West and Clint Eastwood's films.

Everything Castiel found out (big or small) intrigued him to the point where he honestly believed everyone knew about his infatuation with his friend's older brother, especially said brother.  It wasn't exactly something easy to hide, either, though that definitely didn't keep him from trying.

His fourth trip to Dairy Queen was when it was already pretty cold out.  He'd gotten permission to use one of the cars since it was "too cold to walk everywhere" according to his eldest brother, so it wasn't such a crazy idea.  He happened upon the place during a lull (since even the cold weather didn't hinder people from the frozen treats).  There were only a couple of patrons, and they were already seated in a far corner, munching on some french fries.

"Good afternoon, angel," Dean greeted him from behind the register.

Castiel's smile was practically a reflex—it formed automatically when he heard, saw, or even smelled Dean.  "Hello, Dean." 

Dean took a few steps to the side of the register, placing his palms flat against the counter.  "So, what will it be today, Cas?"

"I was thinking 'Cookie Lovers' since the last time I was here, someone suggested Mint Oreo, and it was good, but it wasn't as satisfying as the other two."  Castiel paused before adding, "And 'Candy Cravers' can be done just about anywhere, so it doesn't seem as special."

Dean frowned, his brows furrowing, and Castiel felt his stomach drop because he had somehow, inadvertently, made that expression form, and he didn't like it.  "Someone actually told you to try that?  Sorry, man; not everyone's as good at reading people as I am.  You should have gone for the Double Fudge Cookie Dough.  Just a second."  He lightly tapped the counter, flashing a quick grin, and then he retreated to the back like he usually did.

For the first time Castiel felt awkward standing at the counter, and he shifted on his feet a couple of times before Dean came back.  The brunette male grinned, turning the cup upside down for a few seconds before tipping it back up and setting it down.  "Here ya go."

Castiel's lips twitched into a smile as he reached out and picked up the cup.  "None of the other workers seem to do that as well as you can.  The last time I was here, the girl who made it didn't even attempt it."

Dean winked, his lips curved in an easy grin.  "Like I said the first time:  it's magic."  When Castiel laughed, Dean added, "And maybe you should just forget the last time you were here.  It sounds like it wasn't a good experience."

Castiel smiled down at his ice cream before glancing up at Dean almost shyly.  "When I found out you weren't working, I admit I didn't have high hopes that it would be memorable."  Dean's eyes widened slightly, and pink dusted his cheekbones and ears.  For once, he seemed at a loss for words, and Castiel wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.  "I should probably head home.  One of my siblings wanted to use the car this evening."  He paused to smile at the boy across the counter.  "Thank you very much for the ice cream, Dean."

The smile on Dean's face faltered for a short second, and it was so quick Castiel wasn't sure he actually saw it.  "Of course; anytime, Cas.  Drive safely."  The slightly awkward and stilted words were accompanied by a short wave of Dean's hand.

Castiel managed a slight smile back, and he took a bite of his ice cream as he turned.  He was suddenly glad it had as much chocolate as it did—and then he found the chocolate brownie pieces Dean had apparently thrown in, and he had to swallow back the despair lodged in his throat.

  


* * *

  


The next time he went to Dairy Queen, it was extremely crowded, and he was with his brothers, Gabriel and Balthazar, and their friends.  Dean was working the register again, and he looked exhausted.  He wasn't even doing his "magic trick" with the ice cream.  The sight made Castiel's heart clench, and he had to look away.

"Hey."  Gabriel nudged him in the side a couple of seconds later, and he frowned at his older brother.  "Your boyfriend just lit up like a Christmas tree."

Heat swept into his face, and he retorted, "Dean's not my boyfriend."

Gabriel snorted and muttered, "Maybe if you _said something_ he would be."

He frowned and shook his head.  "Dean doesn't think of me like that."

Gabriel's response was to scoff and reach out to grab Castiel's chin and force it to turn in Dean's direction.  "When a guy looks like _that_ after seeing you, it means he's into you.  Don't be stupid, little bro."

Castiel was shocked.  Dean's exhaustion from a moment ago was practically nonexistent, and he was smiling widely and filling orders quickly.  He was also turning the ice cream upside down like Castiel had always seen him do.  It was like he'd done a complete one-eighty.

Gabriel's laughter sounded in his ears as his older brother added, "And he's definitely into you if he starts showing off like that.  He never does that ice cream thing when I'm here."

Castiel honestly didn't know what to say in response to that, and Gabriel was apparently willing to let it slide because he didn't say anything else and instead turned back to the others and started talking to them.

By the time Castiel made it up to the counter in front of Dean, he'd made a decision.  Dean's smile was warm and bright, and as always, Castiel felt his own lips form a smile.  "Hello, Dean," he greeted the other boy first this time.

"Hey, Cas.  What's caught your eye tonight?" Dean inquired, leaning over the counter.

Castiel hesitated before answering seriously, "You."

Dean blinked once in surprise, sucking in a sharp breath as color swept into his face.  The red glow caused his freckles to stand out, and when his lips twisted into a shy smile, Castiel felt his heart trip before picking up pace.  "Would you like some ice cream with that, angel?  I won't be done for about another hour and a half."

Castiel laughed, giving a one-shouldered shrug.  "I suppose ice cream would not be amiss.  Could you make the same thing I had last time?"

Dean grinned and winked.  "Coming right up."

The Blizzard was better and sweeter than the last one, but—as Dean licked into Castiel's mouth two hours later with one hand cradling his jaw and the other tangling their fingers together—Castiel swore _nothing_ could be as decadent as the taste and feel of Dean Winchester.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Any feedback is always appreciated! (:
> 
> I also accept prompts on my [tumblr](http://www.totallyjensensexual.tumblr.com/) if you're interested.


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